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anything else； but it has made the Consuls sit up。 My own
private scares were really abominably annoying； as for
instance after I had got to sleep for the ninth time perhaps
… and that was no easy matter either； for I had a crick in my
neck so agonising that I had to sleep sitting up … I heard
noises as of a man being murdered in the boys' house。 To be
sure； said I； this is nothing again； but if a man's head was
being taken； the noises would be the same！ So I had to get
up； stifle my cries of agony from the crick； get my revolver；
and creep out stealthily to the boys' house。 And there were
two of them sitting up； keeping watch of their own accord
like good boys； and whiling the time over a game of Sweepi
（Cascino … the whist of our islanders） … and one of them was
our champion idiot； Misifolo； and I suppose he was holding
bad cards； and losing all the time … and these noises were
his humorous protests against Fortune！
Well； excuse this excursion into my 'blacks and chocolates。'
It is the last。 You will have heard from Lysaght how I
failed to write last mail。 The said Lysaght seems to me a
very nice fellow。 We were only sorry he could not stay with
us longer。 Austin came back from school last week； which
made a great time for the Amanuensis； you may be sure。 Then
on Saturday； the CURACOA came in … same commission； with all
our old friends； and on Sunday； as already mentioned； Austin
and I went down to service and had lunch afterwards in the
wardroom。 The officers were awfully nice to Austin； they are
the most amiable ship in the world； and after lunch we had a
paper handed round on which we were to guess； and sign our
guess； of the number of leaves on the pine…apple； I never saw
this game before； but it seems it is much practised in the
Queen's Navee。 When all have betted； one of the party begins
to strip the pine…apple head； and the person whose guess is
furthest out has to pay for the sherry。 My equanimity was
disturbed by shouts of THE AMERICAN COMMODORE； and I found
that Austin had entered and lost about a bottle of sherry！
He turned with great composure and addressed me。 'I am
afraid I must look to you； Uncle Louis。' The Sunday School
racket is only an experiment which I took up at the request
of the late American Land Commissioner； I am trying it for a
month； and if I do as ill as I believe； and the boys find it
only half as tedious as I do； I think it will end in a month。
I have CARTE BLANCHE； and say what I like； but does any
single soul understand me？
Fanny is on the whole very much better。 Lloyd has been under
the weather； and goes for a month to the South Island of New
Zealand for some skating； save the mark！ I get all the
skating I want among officials。
Dear Colvin； please remember that my life passes among my
'blacks or chocolates。' If I were to do as you propose； in a
bit of a tiff； it would cut you off entirely from my life。
You must try to exercise a trifle of imagination； and put
yourself； perhaps with an effort； into some sort of sympathy
with these people； or how am I to write to you？ I think you
are truly a little too Cockney with me。 … Ever yours；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
CHAPTER XXXIX
VAILIMA； MAY 18TH； 1894。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … Your proposals for the Edinburgh edition
are entirely to my mind。 About the AMATEUR EMIGRANT； it
shall go to you by this mail well slashed。 If you like to
slash some more on your own account； I give you permission。
'Tis not a great work； but since it goes to make up the two
first volumes as proposed； I presume it has not been written
in vain。 … MISCELLANIES。 I see with some alarm the proposal
to print JUVENILIA； does it not seem to you taking myself a
little too much as Grandfather William？ I am certainly not
so young as I once was … a lady took occasion to remind me of
the fact no later agone than last night。 'Why don't you
leave that to the young men； Mr。 Stevenson？' said she … but
when I remember that I felt indignant at even John Ruskin
when he did something of the kind I really feel myself blush
from head to heel。 If you want to make up the first volume；
there are a good many works which I took the trouble to
prepare for publication and which have never been
republished。 In addition to ROADS and DANCING CHILDREN；
referred to by you； there is an Autumn effect in the
PORTFOLIO； and a paper on FONTAINEBLEAU … FOREST NOTES is the
name of it … in CORNHILL。 I have no objection to any of
these being edited； say with a scythe； and reproduced。 But I
heartily abominate and reject the idea of reprinting the
PENTLAND RISING。 For God's sake let me get buried first。
TALES AND FANTASIES。 Vols。 I。 and II。 have my hearty
approval。 But I think III。 and IV。 had better be crammed
into one as you suggest。 I will reprint none of the stories
mentioned。 They are below the mark。 Well； I dare say the
beastly BODY…SNATCHER has merit； and I am unjust to it from
my recollections of the PALL MALL。 But the other two won't
do。 For vols。 V。 and VI。； now changed into IV。 and V。； I
propose the common title of SOUTH SEA YARNS。 There！ These
are all my differences of opinion。 I agree with every detail
of your arrangement； and； as you see； my objections have
turned principally on the question of hawking unripe fruit。
I daresay it is all pretty green； but that is no reason for
us to fill the barrow with trash。 Think of having a new set
of type cast； paper especially made； etc。； in order to set up
rubbish that is not fit for the SATURDAY SCOTSMAN。 It would
be the climax of shame。
I am sending you a lot of verses； which had best； I think； be
called UNDERWOODS Book III。； but in what order are they to
go？ Also； I am going on every day a little； till I get sick
of it； with the attempt to get the EMIGRANT compressed into
life； I know I can … or you can after me … do it。 It is only
a question of time and prayer and ink； and should leave
something； no； not good； but not all bad … a very genuine
appreciation of these folks。 You are to remember besides
there is that paper of mine on Bunyan in THE MAGAZINE OF ART。
O； and then there's another thing in SEELEY called some
spewsome name； I cannot recall it。
Well … come； here goes for JUVENILIA。 DANCING INFANTS；
ROADS； AN AUTUMN EFFECT； FOREST NOTES （but this should come
at the end of them； as it's really rather riper）； the t'other
thing from SEELEY； and I'll tell you； you may put in my
letter to the Church of Scotland … it's not written amiss；
and I daresay the PHILOSOPHY OF UMBRELLAS might go in； but
there I stick … and remember THAT was a collaboration with
James Walter Ferrier。 O； and there was a little skit called
the CHARITY BAZAAR； which you might see； I don't think it
would do。 Now； I do not think there are two other words that
should be printed。 … By the way； there is an article of mine
called THE DAY AFTER TO…MORROW in the CONTEMPORARY which you
might find room for somewhere； it is no' bad。
Very busy with all these affairs and some native ones also。
CHAPTER XL
VAILIMA； June 18th； 94。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … You are to please understand that my last
letter is withdrawn unconditionally。 You and Baxter are
having all the trouble of this Edition； and I simply put
myself in your hands for you to do what you like with me； and
I am sure that will be the best； at any rate。 Hence you are
to conceive me withdrawing all objections to your printing
anything you please。 After all it is a sort of family
affair。 About the Miscellany Section； both plans seem to me
quite good。 Toss up。 I think the OLD GARDENER has to stay
where I put him last。 It would not do to separate John and
Robert。
In short； I am only sorry I ever uttered a word about the
edition； and leave you to be the judge。 I have had a vile
cold which has prostrated me for more than a fortnight； and
even now tears me nightly with spasmodic coughs； but it has
been a great victory。 I have never borne a cold with so
little hurt； wait till the clouds blow by； before you begin
to boast！ I have had no fever； and though I've been very
unhappy； it is nigh over； I think。 Of course； ST。 IVES has
paid the penalty。 I must not let you be disappointed in ST。
I。 It is a mere tissue of adventures； the central figure not
very well or very sharply drawn； no philosophy； no destiny；
to it； some of the happenings very good in themselves； I
believe； but none of them BILDENDE； none of them
constructive； except in so far perhaps as they make up a kind
of sham picture of the time； all in italics and all out of
drawing。 Here and there； I think； it is well written； and
here and there it's not。 Some of the episodic characters are